Bowling ball insert



Sept 3, 1963 J. A. JARUS 3,102,725

BOWLING BALL INSERT Filed Jan. 27, 1961 I I 32 2F W INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofifice 3 ,102,725 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 3,102,725 BOWLING BALL INSERT Joseph A. .larus, 1912 Merl Ave., Cleveland 9, Ohio Filed Jan. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 85,386 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-63) This invention relates to improvement in bowling balls.

*In bowling tenpins, two important factors in a bowling ball are causes for good or poor control for accuracy of delivery. One factor is the grip and the other the thumb hole fit. The fit of the thumb hole should be such as to provide an exact frictional resistance on delivery of the ball. A fit slightly too tight or too loose may cause loss of control and injury to the skin. In the course of bowling the first game, the thumb tends to expand and consequently some loss of control follows. To ofiset this change, a slightly larger thumb hole is necessary and should extend the entire upper half of the hole.

The object of my invention is to provide in a bowling ball an economical and interchangeable unit to fit a finger or thumb which can be quickly withdrawn and replaced with other sizes.

A primary and further object is to make the change of the thumb hole unit easily and comfortably without the use of any tools.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be further pointed out or apparent in the proceedin g description.

In the drawing, FIGURE 1 represents a bowling ball fitted with one form of a replaceable thumb hole unit, the unit being shown largely in a cut-away longitudinal cross-section, FIGURES 2 and 2a are enlarged side and end views of the unit shown in FIGURE 1, and FIGURES 3 and 3a are corresponding side and end views of a modified unit.

A conventional bowling ball contains radially drilled holes for the thumb and fingers. In FIGURE 1, the ball 9 is shown with one finger hole 10 and thumb hole 11, which receives a replaceable cylindrical sleeve 13. On the inside of hole 11, a hole is drilled for a metal pin 14, firmly positioned and protruding slightly on the inside diameter of hole 11, this pin being the instrument which retains the sleeve in place. Shown resting at the base of hole 11 is a coiled spring 15, and grooves 16, 17, and 18 show a continuous groove within the outside Wall of the sleeve 13 which is more clearly shown in FIGURE 2.

In application, with the pin 14 and coiled spring 15 in position within the ball, the sleeve 13 is inserted into hole 11 with the groove 16 positioned to engage the pin 14 and depressing the sleeve against the spring until the pin strikes the top of the horizontal groove 17. At this point the sleeve is rotated, following the course of the pin which nov rides in the horizontal groove 17, said pin then engages and settles in groove 18 due to the upward force of the spring thereby locking the sleeve in the ball. The complete operation of inserting or removing the sleeve is done with the use of thumb and without the use of any tools. FIGURE 3 is an alternate sleeve 29 having an eccentric hole 30 and an annular groove 31 with a series of short longitudinal grooves 32 and the long axial groove 33 on the outer Wall. The object of this sleeve has to do with changing the position of the hole 30 in relation to the other finger holes in the ball thereby expanding or contracting the span. Application of this sleeve to the ball is the same as shown in FIGURE 2.

Let it be understood that the figures of the drawing and all components thereof are not necessarily drawn to scale and that the materials employed for the units and components may be any suitable materials.

WhatI claim is:

1. For use with a bowling ball, an interchangeable cylindrical sleeve which can be inserted into the thumb or finger openings without the use of any tools, said sleeve having on the outside wall a continuous groove beginning at one end of the sleeve and continuing axially to meet an annular groove, the annular groove having a series of short longitudinal grooves parallel to and extending toward the origin of the single longitudinal groove and the axial hole being eccentric.

2. For use with a bowling ball, an interchangeable cylindrical sleeve which can be inserted into the thumb or finger openings without the use of any tools, said sleeve having on the outside wall a continuous groove beginning at one end of the sleeve and continuing axially to meet an annular groove which is perpendicular to the sleeve axis, the annular groove having a series of short longitudinal grooves which are parallel to and extend toward the origin of the single longitudinal groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,210,528 Darby Aug. 6, 1940 2,460,385 Hausman Feb. 1, 1949 2,844,375 Nestor July 22, 1958 

2. FOR USE WITH A BOWLING BALL, AN INTERCHANGEABLE CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE WHICH CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE THUMB OR FINGER OPENINGS WITHOUT THE USE OF ANY TOOLS, SAID SLEEVE HAVING ON THE OUTSIDE WALL A CONTINUOUS GROOVE BEGINNING AT ONE END OF THE SLEEVE AND CONTINUING AXIALLY TO MEET AN ANNULAR GROOVE WHICH IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE SLEEVE AXIS, THE ANNULAR GROOVE HAVING A SERIES OF SHORT LONGITUDINAL GROOVES WHICH ARE PARALLEL TO AND EXTEND TOWARD THE ORIGIN OF THE SINGLE LONGITUDINAL GROOVE. 